SYMFORCE : Europe’s largest indoor prog festival !

Flower Kings (Sweden) - Pendragon (England) - Riverside (Poland) - Focus (Holland) - Lazuli (France) - The Aurora Project (Holland) - Lady Lake (Holland) - Isopoda (Belgium) - The Pineapple Thief (England) - Beardfish (Sweden) - Bootcut (Sweden)

Saturday 15th september sees the start of what promises to become Europe’s largest indoor prog festival. Spread over three different stages, each with a different capacity, the 013 venue in Tilburg, Holland, plays host to eleven of the best bands from the current progressive rock scene. Known as one of the best venues what sound, lights and service is concerned the 013 will offer a unique opportunity for prog bands and proglovers alike to witness both well known names as well as discover quality upcoming bands all in one day. Prog past, present and future if you like.

We all know how difficult it is for upcoming bands to get a chance to perform in front of a decent audience in a professional setting. Although their albums might get rave reviews it isn’t a guarantee to pull large crowds. After Crying in front of 47 people is a true disgrace and bad vibes for band, promoter and audience. The only possibility is to link new talent with famous names and have them perform during the same festival. So similar to the famous Roadburn festival which focuses on stonerrock, spacerock and psychedelica, also at the 013 venue, SYMFORCE is there for symphonic, progressive rock. The idea is to make it an unforgettable day for artists, fans and organization alike, an event which will become a yearly highlight for the prog community, kind of a European version of NEARfest or BajaProg if you like !

Let’s shine a light on the bands that will perform during the first edition of SYMFORCE on Saturday 15th September 2007 at the 013 in Tilburg, Holland :

LADY LAKE : the Dutch city of Deventer in the year 1973 marks the birth of the wonderful melodic instrumental band Lady Lake named after an album by Scottish band Gnidrolog. Huge fans of Gentle Giant the Lady Lake music nevertheless became a cross between early Camel, Focus and Finch. It was the CD-reissue of the band’s album “No pictures” which started a worldwide interest in this band which outside of Holland was virtually unknown. The band went on to record a brandnew album in 2005 called “Supercleandreammachine” followed recently by some old recordings under the moniker of “Unearthed”. A concert by Lady Lake always is a feast and SYMFORCE will be no exception ! More info : http://www.ladylake.nl

ISOPODA : in the seventies this band was referred to as “the Belgian Genesis”. They ended on a high note having performed with a full philharmonic orchestra in their hometown of Aalst. Bassplayer and founder Arnold De Schepper tried a solo career but that’s as far as it went. A couple of years ago Musea re-issued both albums “Acrostichon” and “Taking root” on CD which made the name Isopoda known throughout the world. The band has reformed especially for SYMFORCE and performs for the very first time outside Belgium. Expect material from both their seventies albums as well as one or two surprises !

BEARDFISH : offering a cross between Flower Kings and Zappa, Beardfish is one of those new bands which puts a lot of humor in both it’s lyrics as well as it’s music. Their brand new album “Sleeping in traffic part one” has just been released by Inside Out which should give them some well deserved exposure all around the world. Their presence at SYMFORCE also marks their debut in the Benelux.
More info : http://www.myspace.com/beardfishband

BOOTCUT : take Beardfish’s keyboardplayer Rikard Sjöblom and add another drummer and you get Bootcut. Hammond and drums is all you need in order to get this progressive Booker T & MG’s. Bootcut will be kind of SYMFORCE’s afterparty
More info : http://www.myspace.com/bootcutband

LAZULI : if you know this band has been asked to perform at the legendary Baja Prog festival in Mexicali for the third consecutive time in 2008 you know they are incredible as no other band before them has ever had the pleasure to perform at Baja Prog three times in a row. Lazuli also performed at the world famous Montreux Jazz festival where they were voted best rock band in 2005 ! The only band in the world to play the léode, a cross between a stick and Jordan Rudess’s continuum, they also throw in a warr-guitar and marimba to make it extra special. This is absolute world class and certainly not to be missed !
More info : http://www.lazuli-music.com

The PINEAPPLE THIEF : after the underground success of Vulgar Unicorn, Bruce Soord started his new project Pineapple Thief. Their blend of Radiohead and proggy sidesteps soon gave them international recognition and a breath of fresh air entered the prog community. With a string of albums under their belt The Pineapple Thief plays it’s Benelux debut at SYMFORCE and will surely surprise all of you
More info : http://www.pineapplethief.com

The AURORA PROJECT : a home match for this up and coming band from Holland which delivers it’s original compositions and arrangements with a slightly harder edge live. Their debut album “Unspoken words” received praise from all over the world as their mix of Porcupine Tree, Tool, Anathema and Riverside reaches the world. For sure a band to watch
More info : http://www.theauroraproject.com

FOCUS : legendary and without any doubt one of the ten most important progacts of all time. Next to original members Thijs Van Leer and Pierre van der Linden they also have Bobby Jacobs on bass and newcomer Niels van der Steenhoven on guitar. Expect all of the Focus classics next to new material from their latest “New skin” album
More info : http://www.focustheband.com

RIVERSIDE : their third album “Rapid eye movement” will just be released when they visit SYMFORCE. For sure they will perform lots of new material pulled from the final part of their ambitious trilogy. Fans of Porcupine Tree, Anathema and Dream Theater already love this band to bits so it’s high time you get the Riverside virus as well !
More info : http://www.riverside.art.pl

PENDRAGON : SYMFORCE welcomes one of the bands that has delivered quality for as long as you can think of. Barret & C° will pull a greatest hits selection from their impressive catalogue showing once again just how good a band they really are. Great compositions, fabulous arrangements, superb melodies, ace guitar playing, in other words a guaranteed stunning performance by one of the world’s absolute prog leaders
More info : http://www.pendragon.mu

FLOWER KINGS : on 26th September the band’s new studio album “The sum of no evil” will be released. SYMFORCE will be the very first time some of the new material will be played live. Expect new stuff, classics and some surprises from the closing act of the very first edition of SYMFORCE. Flower Kings always deliver an incredible show which this time around will be the icing on the cake ! Their performance also welcomes the return of Zoltan Csörz on drums !
More info : http://www.flowerkings.se

All of the bands will have their own space to sell their merchandise whilst we’ll try to arrange some signing sessions as well

As you can see the first edition of SYMFORCE promises to be one hell of an experience. We expect all of you on Saturday 15th September at the 013 venue in Tilburg, Holland. Spread the word as SYMFORCE street force and make prog famous again. See you there !

More info at : http://www.myspace.com/symforce and at http://www.013web.nl